See firsthand why Quito was the first city UNESCO declared a World Cultural Heritage. From its historical ’Old Town’, to the Equatorial monument, surrounded by volcanoes and sheltered by a deep blue sky, it is sure to charm the most avid traveler.Always a unique experience, the Galapagos Islands are simply at their best aboard either of the premier ships in the region, the M/V Galapagos Explorer II. Can you think of a better way to explore the varied marine life, flora & fauna, of the Galapagos Islands each day? Lead by a certified naturalist guide each day and returning to the comfort of your cabin you’ll feel at home knowing that you are in the hands of professionals that pay careful attention to details. From organizing special activities when children are on board to making sure that you have everything you need to enjoy the Galapagos Islands at your pace.

PACKAGE INCLUDES:

Three night’s accommodation at the Hotel Quito, breakfast daily

Classic city tour of Quito & the Equatorial Monument

Three nights aboard the M/V Coral I or II, all meals daily

Two daily guided excursions while onboard

Round trip air with Aerogal from Quito to the Galapagos Islands

Galapagos National Park Tax

INGALA Card

Airport transfers throughout

Cruise fuel surcharge

Local assistance

Daily breakfast

All meals are included while in the cruise

NOT INCLUDED:

International airfare from the US

Applicable airport departure taxes

Alcoholic drinks

Gratuities

Personal expenses

Travel insurance

Day 1.Quito, Ecuador Upon arrival in Quito and clearing customs, you will be met by a tour representative and transferred to the Hotel Quito for check-in and overnight. Meals: N/A

Day 2. Today you will have a city tour of Quito. The tour begins in Orellana´s way, with a drive around the colonial center of Quito. You will see the stone-carved façade of Ecuador's House of Congress depicting scenes from Ecuadorian history; Independence Square, with the Presidential Palace, the Cathedral and El Sagrario. You will visit the Church of La Compañía (1605), (if open), with its breathtaking gilded altars, considered the finest example of baroque art in America and the church and monastery of San Francisco (1535). Visit the art & crafts gallery of Tianguez. Finally, drive up to el Panecillo Hill to have a spectacular view of Quito and to see the only statue of the winged Virgin in South America. Besides visiting the colonial center of Quito, visit the Middle of the World Monument and Museum thirty minutes to the north of Quito. There, you will find a monument on the exact equatorial line marking latitude 0 00' 0", a unique place where you can literally get a picture of yourself jumping from one hemisphere to another. This tour includes a visit to the Ethnographic Museum on site. After the tour you will return to the hotel and overnight. Meals: Breakfast

Day 3 Baltra Airport Today you will have an early morning transfer back to the ariport to board your flight to the island of Baltra in the Galapagos Islands (approximately a 2 hour flight). Passengers are picked up at the airport by our naturalist guides and taken on a ten minute bus drive to the pier to board the M/Y Coral. After receiving your cabin information and unpacking your bags, you'll have time to relax before your first guided excursion.

PM – Charles Darwin Research Station (Santa Cruz)

A dry landing. We visit the Station where the Galapagos giant tortoise breeding program takes place. . It is an excellent place for visitors to be photographed with the enormous reptiles. Admire a prickly-pear cactus forest and a variety of Darwin finches and other land birds. The Darwin Station also provides environmental education to communities and schools within the islands, and to tourists visiting the Galapagos Islands. You will have some free time to visit the town and shop for souvenirs.

Day 4. Santa Fe Today will be a wet landing on a white sand beach surrounded by a sea lion colony. Continue walking through a cactus forest as we search for the endemic Santa Fe land iguana, the largest in the islands. This island is home to a number of endemic species including Galapagos Hawk, Galapagos Snake, rice rats, a variety of finches and one of the four species of Galapagos mockingbirds. You will also have an opportunity for deep-water snorkeling

Difficulty level: intermediate

Type of terrain: rocky

Duration: 1h30 walk

PM - South Plaza (Plaza Island) A dry landing on the northern part of the Islet. The walk begins with an impressive cactus forest surrounded by land and marine iguanas. As we reach the highest point, be on the lookout for tropical birds and a bachelor sea lion colony. In South Plaza there is a large colony of the smaller sized land iguanas. The population is approximately 300 individuals. They feed on all kinds of vegetation, but during the dry season, they survive on the fruits and flowers of Opuntia cacti. Due to their proximity to marine iguanas, here we will encounter the one and only Galapagos hybrid iguana.

Day 5 Rábida Todaythere will be a wet landing. Dark-red sand covers these unique beaches. Rábida is considered the epicenter of the Galapagos Islands due to the diversity of its volcanic geology. Nesting Brown Pelicans are found from July through September and nine species of the famous Darwin’s finches can be seen. We will also take a dinghy ride along cliffs to observe nesting seabirds, and snorkel off the coast, where marine life is particularly active.

PM – Bachas Beach (Santa Cruz) Wet landing on the north side of Santa Cruz. Behind the beach lie two small flamingo ponds with iguanas, coastal birds, Darwin finches, mockingbirds, and gulls, as well as interesting native and endemic vegetation, red and black mangroves, salt bushes, and much more. This beach is one of the main nesting sites of sea turtles in the Galapagos. A female can lay eggs 3 or 4 times with an average of 70 eggs each, but then spend 3 or 5 years without breeding. At this paradisiacal site we will also find the remains of barges that sank long ago, once property of the United States Navy when they operated an airbase on Baltra Island during World War II. That is why the beach is called “Bachas” because the word “barges” in English was hard to pronounce for the local people.

Difficulty level: easy

Type of terrain: sandy

Duration: 1 hour walk / 1 hour snorkeling/swimming

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 6 Daphne Circumnavigate the islet of Daphne, an eroded tuff cone formation that was created by successive volcanic activity, for an opportunity to see Darwin’s finches, Blue-footed Boobies, Nazca Boobies, Red-billed Tropical birds, Swallow-tailed Gulls, and Brown Noddies. Afterwards, we transfer directly to Baltra Airport for return flight to Guayaquil or Quito. Upon arrival in Quito, you will be met by a tour representative and transferred to the Hotel Quito for check-in and overnight. Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 7. Quito Today you will have a transfer from your hotel back to the airport for your return flight home. Meals: Breakfast

Note: All itineraries are subject to change, due to weather and other conditions. All times indicated are approximate, and are also subject to change.